Rebel Movie Review: Logan

Let’s get the basics out of the way. This is the X-Men movie we have been waiting for. Logan is everything X-Men Origins: Wolverine should have been, and everything The Wolverine could have been.

The year is 2029, and Logan (Hugh Jackman), now going by the name James Howlett, is as we have never seen him before: old. He’s more grizzled than ever, lives at the bottom of any whiskey bottle he can lay his hips on, and drives a limo in an effort to take care of an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart). He attempts to hide himself from a world that is bleak for mutant kind and wants nothing more than to run from his legacy, which never seems to stray too far from him. However, when a young mutant arrives, Logan and Professor X find themselves on the run one last time, charged with protecting young Laura and each other at all costs.

Logan is masterfully done. Director James Mangold does a superb job of bringing a sense of gritty reality to an X-Men movie that has been lacking for the entire series. Filled with moments of dark humor and excellent action scenes, he achieves a delicate balance between drama and superhero excitement with lots of gore. This is without a doubt the goriest, most violent film we have seen in the franchise. Within the first five minutes, Mangold sets the tone for the rest of the film, and it is brutal, yet necessary. Every single scene moves the plot, nothing is left to waste. By the end of it all, you are left with a sense of satisfying finality but wanting more.

Aside from the new levels of violence, the swearing is definitely stronger than expected. Logan’s first word out the gate is the f-bomb (although, considering the opening scene, we can forgive that). SPOILER ALERT: Professor X does indeed drop a few curses in the film, and it is everything you could every hope for yet nothing you are every truly prepared for.

Yes, we see glimpses of the old Wolverine and Professor X that we love, but we also get to see more character development in this one film than we have seen in any of the movies from the franchise. The future is harsh, and the lives of the protagonists reflect that. Our heroes are battle-worn and tired. Nearly everyone has a sense of hopelessness and brokenness to them, almost like they are almost too tired to seek a peace they are so desperate to obtain. Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman push their characters to the limit, and it pays off wonderfully.

And little Laura played by newcomer Dafne Keen. Whew…Simply perfection. No spoilers here. You have to see her for yourself.

Overall, Logan is a well-done superhero movie with a strong story that does justice to both the characters and the actors’ abilities to bring them to life. For any X-Men fan, this film does not disappoint.

Kris M. Bell is a blogger, senior editor for Rebel Lifestyle Magazine, and indie fiction author residing in Atlanta, GA. You can keep up with her daily antics by following her on Twitter @KrisMBellWrites